logo
Keeping Cool and Connected: Attendee Wellbeing Strategies for Summer Outdoor Events

Keeping Cool and Connected: Attendee Wellbeing Strategies for Summer Outdoor Events

Skift15-07-2025
Ensure attendee wellbeing at summer outdoor events with tips on heat, hydration, accessibility, and real-time engagement.
It's 2:45 PM. The outdoor breakout session under a tent is running long. Someone near the front is fanning themselves with a printed agenda. Your phone battery is at 11%. And the networking energy you planned for this moment? Gone.
Sound familiar?
When you're organizing a summer event with outdoor components, things can go sideways quickly if you don't think ahead about attendee well-being. From heat and fatigue to Wi-Fi issues and sensory overload, the risks are real. And today's attendees are clear about what they expect: comfort, care, and options that support how they show up.
Wellness at outdoor events is no longer just a hospitality "nice-to-have". It's a core part of creating a high-quality experience.
Why Attendee Wellbeing Must Be a Priority for Outdoor Events
Image from Skift India Forum
A good agenda won't matter much if people are dehydrated or overheated. When attendees aren't physically comfortable, it's hard for them to stay mentally present. Add in outdoor distractions, long walking distances, and limited shade, and even the best programming can lose its impact.
Wellness matters because it affects everything else. Attention spans. Energy levels. Willingness to participate. If people feel drained, they check out early or disengage entirely.
As the organizer, your role is not just to plan the schedule. It's to create the conditions for attendees to actually benefit from it.
What Can Go Wrong Outside (if You Don't Plan Ahead)
These are the most common outdoor challenges you'll need to plan around:
Heat and sun exposure (see how soaring heat impacts events)
Risk of dehydration
Long walks with limited seating or shade
Sensory overload from crowd noise, traffic, or music
Accessibility issues on grass, gravel, or uneven ground
Spotty Wi-Fi and charging access
Lack of quiet or private spaces
Wind, rain, and storms
Each of these impacts attendee focus and satisfaction. According to the 2025 Cvent planner sourcing report, 26% of planners say a poor attendee experience would deter them from returning to a venue in the future, highlighting the direct business implications of neglecting wellbeing.
The good news? Each one is manageable with thoughtful planning.
Tactical Wellness Strategies You Can Implement Today
Photo Credits: Panasonic
Let's get specific. These are field-tested ways to build wellness into your summer outdoor event, even on a tight timeline or budget.
1. Make Physical Comfort Easy
Provide plenty of shaded areas using tents, umbrellas, or existing tree cover
Place water refill stations near every major gathering zone
Offer cooling towels or portable fans at check-in and wellness stations
Set up misting areas near high-traffic spaces if your venue allows
Stock sunscreen in shared spaces and bathrooms
Example: Panasonic's Dry Mist System, showcased at CES 2024, used a micro-mist curtain to reduce heat stress in open-air environments.
If you can only do one thing: Put shade and water within easy reach of every session area and lounge zone.
2. Reduce Mental and Physical Fatigue
Break up long sessions with movement-friendly transitions
Avoid full-sun exposure for keynotes or breakouts if possible
Create rest zones with seating that feels close to the action, not off to the side
Build in buffer time between sessions to allow people to recharge
Example: Some planners integrate brief wellness activations like 10–15 minute brain-boosting exercises or somatic breathwork sessions between meetings to help attendees recharge both mentally and physically.
Dami Kim, director of Body and Brain Corporate Wellness, recommends brain-boosting exercises to improve focus, while Sepideh Eivazi, of Dawn of the Earth and the Global Wellness Institute, offers breathwork to reduce stress and increase energy.
What this looks like: Bean bags under trees, a mobile lounge cart with fans and snacks, or hammocks in a quieter corner.
3. Serve Light, Energy-Supporting Food and Drinks
Choose foods that feel fresh and easy to digest in the heat: fruit, wraps, salads, popsicles
Clearly label all dietary options and allergen information
Keep snacks and drinks stocked beyond just meal windows
Tip: Offer branded electrolyte packets or chilled fruit-infused water as a low-cost, high-impact touch.
For inspiration, check out 25 Health Cautious Catering Ideas for Your Meetings and Events
4. Keep People Engaged and Equipped
Set up mobile charging stations throughout the space
Provide printed maps and schedules as a backup to apps
Use clear signage and wayfinding to minimize walking confusion
Train staff to help with tech, logistics, and comfort questions on the fly
Add a Wellness Response Team: Assign a few staff or volunteers to check on guests, refill hydration stations, and spot people who may need a break. Give them badges or shirts so they're easy to spot.
What Not to Do
Some common mistakes are easy to avoid once you know what to watch for:
Putting hydration stations far from breakout areas
Scheduling anything in the midday sun
Relying only on digital tools in a space with weak connectivity
Ignoring terrain challenges for guests with mobility needs
Forgetting quiet or private spaces for nursing, prayer, or sensory recovery
Waiting until someone complains before adjusting your setup
Relying on long-term weather forecasts
Not having a backup plan
For more on weather-proofing your event, see Don't Let Climate Change Blow Your Event Away.
Monitor Attendee Wellbeing
You don't need to guess how attendees are doing. Build in systems to gather quick feedback and adjust fast.
Monitor key zones: Are people lingering or leaving? Are the shaded seats full?
Empower staff to fix issues on the spot, whether it's restocking water or moving a session into shade
Ask volunteers to report what they hear and see
Try this: Set up a 'What Would Help You Right Now?' board with sticky notes or a live comment screen. Update your response plan every few hours based on the input.
Wellness Drives Engagement and Outcomes
When people feel good, they stay longer. They network more. They absorb what you've worked hard to deliver. Prioritizing wellness during an outdoor event isn't just thoughtful but strategic.
You don't need a spa tent or a massive budget to get this right. You need intention and visibility. And you need a team that's empowered to care for people in real time.
Because when attendees feel taken care of, they take more away from the experience.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I'm terrified of rabies, my Gen Z daughter fears climate change. Why anxiety is generational
I'm terrified of rabies, my Gen Z daughter fears climate change. Why anxiety is generational

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

I'm terrified of rabies, my Gen Z daughter fears climate change. Why anxiety is generational

Last month, I was convinced I had rabies. I didn't have any symptoms, or I'd hardly be sitting here writing this, but I was getting occasional intrusive flashes of panic that I was incubating the dread, 100-per cent-fatal virus that can first show symptoms months after exposure. My partner and I had been on holiday in Vietnam a few weeks before. As we were leaving a guesthouse in Ninh Binh, a friendly pet puppy skittered up behind me and lightly nipped my leg through my trousers. Now, there is rabies in Vietnam – 82 people died of it in 2023 – and you don't only get it from street dogs; it lurks even in puppies who seem playful. I weighed the evidence. I hadn't been vaccinated against rabies; most tourists don't bother because the jabs are expensive, and there is a 'post exposure' option if you do interact with a rabid animal. But because the skin on my leg hadn't been broken, I decided I was almost certainly going to be okay, carried on with my holiday, and basically forgot about it. Then, a few weeks after our return, the news was full of the terrible story of Yvonne Ford, a 59-year-old woman from Barnsley, who had died from rabies after being scratched by a puppy while on holiday in Morocco in February. Only scratched! Ford had started experiencing symptoms just two weeks prior to her death on June 11. Upon reading this, I started to worry – albeit in a controlled way. Should I get the 'post infection' set of jabs which would save me from certain death if I had been exposed? Was it worth the not insignificant £500 this would cost? Or should I just live with the very tiny risk? To add to my squirming brain, around this time there was a hostile incident between India and Pakistan, which the media always helpfully refer to as 'nuclear powers.' This brought back my teenage fear of nuclear war, of dying slowly of radiation sickness, as fed by such terrifying 1980s fare as the films Threads and The Day After. It really was Apocalypse Bingo for a while there, earlier this summer. I talked to my daughter, Annabel, 22, about what she made of my paranoias, and we started to explore the subject more deeply. I shared my Generation X fears: nuclear war, Aids – back in the day, at least – and rabies. (Who could forget those scary public information campaigns and screaming, red La Rage posters on cross-channel ferries?) Annabel, who is firmly Generation Z, told me she was worried about her economic future, 'brain aneurysms and freak deaths – I think this definitely comes from reading too much health journalism,' but most of all, climate change. 'Fears about climate change do occasionally keep me up at night,' she said. 'The heatwaves have been making me worried about the coming decades. It is clearly already happening. I think due to modern life we all forget how reliant we are upon the environment. Although the anxiety maybe isn't productive, I do think we should all be more concerned about climate change.' Why anxiety sticks with us I asked Owen O'Kane, a psychotherapist and the author of the bestselling book Addicted to Anxiety, what he made of all this. To a certain extent, the 'flavour' of our fears is due to what was making headlines at a formative period in our lives, he believes. 'Fashions change and we go through phases, your experience as an early adult stays with you,' he says. 'News headlines certainly don't help. The people who write them go for the worst-case scenario, the most catastrophic outcome. If you are anxious by nature, your 'anxious self' will gravitate towards these headlines.' If you tend towards anxiety, these more dramatic incidents are likely to affect you compared with an individual who is more sanguine. 'Anxious people are responsible people and they care deeply about things,' says O'Kane. 'They have a healthy altruistic core.' The problem, however, is that there's a risk anxiety can affect your life in a negative way. 'Your anxiety is like a watch guard, looking for a potential threat, and you might suddenly fixate on this threat,' says O'Kane. 'For example, a teenager might see a photo of a field of fire, and start worrying about climate change after a period of not thinking about it.' At heart, says O'Kane, anxiety is all about how much a person can tolerate the uncertainty of everyday life. 'To be worried is useful and has a function, to some degree,' he says. 'But it becomes a problem if we become obsessive, or avoid going out, for example. Every person has to do a cost-benefit analysis – where the price is not leading your life, and you become 'addicted' to your anxiety.' These days, says O'Kane, many people are 'frightened of our own shadow. 'The presentation and triggers are different, but these existential fears are actually our psyche asking fundamental questions: 'Will I get ill?', 'Will I die?', 'Will anyone help me?' 'Will I cope?'' And for our children's generation, the triggers are everywhere. 'People who are now in midlife didn't have social media,' says O'Kane. 'There was less exposure to world events. Yes, we knew there were wars and starvation and plane crashes; we were not unaware of these. But young people have a more elevated awareness of what's going on globally. It's not surprising that there are heightened levels of anxiety in Generation Z.' How social media fuels modern fears Annabel agrees with this analysis. 'Most of my fears are because of the news and social media, which allow little nuggets of anxiety to interrupt your day,' she says. 'Your phone pops up and it's another thing to be worried about, because that's what we engage with.' O'Kane suggests that anxieties can fluctuate, both in a negative way – in that they become harmful phobias – but also in a positive way, in that you can learn to manage and overcome them. I certainly concur with this: my teens and 20s were a mass of health anxieties, usually involving dread neurological diseases, all without a logical explanation. As I grew up, I learnt to keep a lid on these worries and defuse them. So, how did I resolve my rabies scare? First of all, I looked up the statistics of how many people had died of rabies in the UK after a foreign trip: six people between 2000 and 2024. I spoke to my sister-in-law, a GP, who reiterated my chance of contracting the virus was infinitesimal. I then texted the guesthouse in Vietnam, who told me the puppy had been vaccinated against rabies and was healthy. (I have to assume they were telling the truth.) As I received this reply, I was looking at my phone while crossing a road and almost got hit by a car. When I related the above to O'Kane, I was thrilled to have passed his 'healthy response' test. 'The situation was that you were bitten by a dog and there was rabies in the area,' he says. 'It's not dissimilar to how people felt during Covid. I wouldn't describe this as an irrational fear, but a 'situational one'. 'The context of your worry was normal and your parameters went up, you identified the trigger,' he says. 'Someone less prone to worry than you would have made the decision this was low risk and not worried at all afterwards. But you did the healthy thing for you – looked at the broader evidence, weighed it up, and let it go. You were able to acknowledge you could tolerate the worry. Someone more prone to worry would have been googling furiously, or have gone for the vaccinations.' O'Kane is at pains to point out that not all anxieties should be dismissed. 'I'm not saying you should tolerate all uncertainty, and there are useful, functional worries,' he says. 'For example, if you've had unsafe sex with someone you know is HIV positive, you should take the sensible medical approach and seek treatment.' And in less critical situations, we can lower our exposure to worrying material. 'I've gone off social media, and I'm feeling a bit better about everything,' says Annabel. 'It was overwhelming though, because there's so much online encouragement to optimise and do better – very Gen Z.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword

Stocks to Watch Tuesday: UnitedHealth, P&G, Whirlpool, Stellantis
Stocks to Watch Tuesday: UnitedHealth, P&G, Whirlpool, Stellantis

Wall Street Journal

time6 hours ago

  • Wall Street Journal

Stocks to Watch Tuesday: UnitedHealth, P&G, Whirlpool, Stellantis

↗️ UnitedHealth (UNH): The under-pressure healthcare conglomerate will report its first quarterly results since pulling its financial guidance and replacing its chief executive in May. Shares, which have shed more than 40% this year, rose in premarket trading. 🔎 Procter & Gamble (PG): The consumer-goods company is also due to report earnings. P&G said Monday that operations chief Shailesh Jejurikar would replace Jon Moeller as CEO from next year. ↘️ Whirlpool (WHR): The appliance maker cut its annual profit guidance and lowered its quarterly dividend. It said competitors have flooded the market with Asia-made products to beat the expected increase in tariffs. Shares skidded in off-hours trading.

Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market Research Report 2025-2033 Featuring Abbott Laboratories, BioMerieux, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Epigenomics, Siemens Healthineers, Hologic, Qiagen, F. Hoffmann-La Roche
Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market Research Report 2025-2033 Featuring Abbott Laboratories, BioMerieux, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Epigenomics, Siemens Healthineers, Hologic, Qiagen, F. Hoffmann-La Roche

Yahoo

time6 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market Research Report 2025-2033 Featuring Abbott Laboratories, BioMerieux, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Epigenomics, Siemens Healthineers, Hologic, Qiagen, F. Hoffmann-La Roche

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Testing Market is projected to grow from USD 1.52 billion in 2024 to USD 3.62 billion by 2033, at a 10.11% CAGR from 2025. This growth is fueled by increased cervical cancer awareness, robust screening programs, and advancements in diagnostic technologies. HPV, a significant sexually transmitted infection, plays a critical role in cervical and other cancers, highlighting the importance of early detection through testing. Global initiatives, especially in developed nations, have embraced HPV-based screenings, driving demand. However, challenges such as limited access and high technology costs in low-income countries remain. Notable market segments include consumables, immunodiagnostics, and PCR testing. Key regions like the U.S., France, India, and Saudi Arabia see varied growth based on governmental support, awareness, and infrastructure. Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market Dublin, July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market Size and Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast Report 2025-2033" report has been added to Human papillomavirus (HPV) Testing Market was USD 1.52 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 3.62 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 10.11% from 2025 to 2033. The growth is due to increasing awareness of cervical cancer, increased screening programs, and technological advancements in diagnostic technologies in global healthcare systems. Internationally, the use of HPV testing is increasing with growing awareness regarding prevention of cervical cancer, government-sponsored screening programs, and WHO's initiative to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue. Developed countries have embraced HPV-based screening on a large scale, and developing nations are also adopting it, with the support of global health programs. Its high sensitivity and long-term risk prediction make it a method of choice in contemporary gynecological Driver in the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Testing Market Increasing Awareness and Government Screening ProgramsInternational awareness programs and country-level screening programs have increased demand for HPV testing to a large extent. Governments in developed and emerging economies are adopting routine cervical cancer screening guidelines for women aged 30 and older. WHO organizations advocate for HPV testing as a key tool for early detection of cancer. Greater awareness of HPV-associated cancers and immunization also reinforces demand. These efforts account for early diagnosis, prompt intervention, and overall reduction in HPV-associated disease burden, thus driving the market forward. SEP 2024, The United States, Australia, India, and Japan are rolling out a key initiative to fight cervical cancer across the Indo-Pacific, a preventable disease which is a significant health crisis in the region. This initiative is part of larger announcements made during the Quad Leaders Breakthroughs in HPV TestingInnovation in diagnostic methods - like PCR, next-generation sequencing, and self-sampling kits - has revolutionized HPV testing by enhancing accuracy, accessibility, and convenience. Automated platforms, multiplex assays, and liquid-based cytology enable quicker turnaround times and large-scale screening. These technologies are particularly precious in resource-poor settings and enable wider adoption in public health systems. Ongoing R&D spending by diagnostic firms serves to improve test sensitivity and affordability, fueling additional market growth. June 2023, The WHO has prequalified a fourth test for human papillomavirus (HPV). Although most HPV infections will clear on their own, a few of the higher-risk types can cause cervical cancer, so HPV testing is important for cervical cancer Prevalence of HPV-Associated Cancers Growing global incidence of HPV-related cancers, particularly cervical cancer, is a strong market driver. Cervical cancer is the fourth leading female cancer in the world according to the WHO, and the overwhelming majority of cases are caused by high-risk HPV types. Growing cases of cancer have driven the need for early detection strategies, putting HPV testing at the center of preventive medicine. As healthcare professionals and patients strive for surefire diagnostic measures, HPV testing is also becoming a necessity in women's health care. An estimated 47,984 new cases of cancer occur each year in the United States in areas of the body where human papillomavirus (HPV) commonly in the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Testing Market Limited Access in Low-Income CountriesIn spite of worldwide awareness, HPV testing is not readily available in low- and middle-income countries because of a lack of healthcare infrastructure and resources. There are few laboratory facilities, skilled professionals, and regular screening programs in most areas. Cultural taboo and sexual stigma also discourage HPV testing participation. This inequality avoids early diagnosis and enhances the risk of cervical cancer at advanced stages. It is essential to overcome these barriers using cost-effective point-of-care diagnostics and education initiatives for equitable market Cost of Sophisticated HPV Testing TechnologiesThe price of advanced HPV testing technologies, including PCR-based platforms and DNA sequencing, can be out of reach for healthcare systems and some patients. As developed nations implement these technologies into regular screening, the affordability gap restricts accessibility in resource-scarce settings. In addition, maintenance costs, quality assurance, and specialized staff requirements contribute to higher operating costs for clinics and laboratories. This cost factor hinders mass screening activities, particularly in developing countries. Key Players Analyzed: Overview, Key Persons, Recent Development & Strategies, Financial Insights Abbott Laboratories BioMerieux SA Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Epigenomics AG Siemens Healthineers AG Hologic Inc Qiagen NV F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 200 Forecast Period 2024 - 2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $1.52 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $3.62 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 10.1% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction2. Research Methodology2.1 Data Source2.1.1 Primary Sources2.1.2 Secondary Sources2.2 Research Approach2.2.1 Top-Down Approach2.2.2 Bottom-Up Approach2.3 Forecast Projection Methodology3. Executive Summary4. Market Dynamics4.1 Growth Drivers4.2 Challenges5. Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market5.1 Historical Market Trends5.2 Market Forecast6. Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market Share Analysis6.1 By Application6.2 By Product6.3 By Technology6.4 By End Use6.5 By Countries7. Application7.1 Cervical Cancer Screening7.2 Vaginal Cancer Screening8. Product8.1 Consumables8.2 Instruments8.3 Services9. Technology9.1 Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)9.2 Liquid-based cytology9.3 Immunodiagnostics9.4 Hybrid Capture9.5 Others10. End Use10.1 Hospitals & Clinics10.2 Laboratories10.3 Others11. Countries11.1 North America11.1.1 United States11.1.2 Canada11.2 Europe11.2.1 France11.2.2 Germany11.2.3 Italy11.2.4 Spain11.2.5 United Kingdom11.2.6 Belgium11.2.7 Netherlands11.2.8 Turkey11.3 Asia-Pacific11.3.1 China11.3.2 Japan11.3.3 India11.3.4 South Korea11.3.5 Thailand11.3.6 Malaysia11.3.7 Indonesia11.3.8 Australia11.3.9 New Zealand11.4 Latin America11.4.1 Brazil11.4.2 Mexico11.4.3 Argentina11.5 Middle East & Africa11.5.1 Saudi Arabia11.5.2 UAE11.5.3 South Africa12. Porter's Five Forces Analysis12.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers12.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers12.3 Degree of Rivalry12.4 Threat of New Entrants12.5 Threat of Substitutes13. SWOT Analysis13.1 Strength13.2 Weakness13.3 Opportunity13.4 Threat 14. Key Players Analysis For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Human Papilloma Virus Testing Market CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store